Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight contender (and former champion) Quinton Jackson has had several epic "beefs" with some well known mixed martial arts (MMA) competitors.
He's locked horns with the likes of Rashad Evans. He's traded barbs with current champion Jon Jones. He's even exchanged unpleasantries with bad guys as "B.A. Baracus" in the 2010 movie remake of "The A-Team."
But, his most recent verbal sparring partner is none other than Strikeforce's own Muhammed Lawal, who recently called out "Rampage" after his win over Lorenz Larkin at Strikeforce: "Rockhold vs. Jardine" in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Jan. 7, 2012.
Jackson heard the comments from "King Mo." And it should come as a surprise to no one that he wasn't amused and hurled a few words of his own for his fellow loudmouthed 205-pounder.
Here's what he had to say during an interview on HDNet's "Inside MMA:"
"I don't like the guy. He's a hater. He's a big time hater, you know what I'm sayin'? He's been calling me out on Twitter and stuff. He's just hatin' big time. He, uh, he told me a while ago that he wanted to fight me when I'm on my way out. When I'm over the hill. Like most fighters, we get old and the time comes to retire. He said that's when he wants to fight me, years ago. Now he's comin' at me like I'm on my way out."
Apparently, Jackson watched Lawal's fight against Larkin. He was not impressed by his performance:
"I wasn't impressed with Mo's fight at all. He beat some guy and knocked some guy out on the ground, but the guy has no wrestling experience at all. I can look at Mo, I'm a fighter -- I could tell he was gettin' tired. If it woulda went to the next round, homeboy probably woulda come back. Cuz Mo looked like he was gettin' tired. I don't think Mo's been in the cage with the best in the world. He thinks I'm a bum now? Cuz I lost a fight with Jon Jones, one of the best light heavyweights in my weight class right now? So, I lost a fight to that guy, so now I'm a bum? Well, he can say that all he wants, but that guy has never fought anybody close to the caliber of the guys I've fought."
"Rampage" went on to address comments Lawal made about Jackson coming over to the Strikeforce promotion to challenge him there, as opposed to vice versa.
According to Jackson, he's insulted by the idea and would never consider it:
"It's funny that he gotta talk about me after his fight and say I should move down to the Strikeforce and fight him. I'm sorry, but from where I'm sittin', that's a step down. You know what I'm sayin'? Why would I wanna step down to the Strikeforce and fight him when I'm fightin' in the biggest organization in the world?"
Hard to argue otherwise ... at least for now. Strikeforce vs. UFC, loser leaves town match, anyone?